The Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities strategic alliance, a collaboration between Leiden University, TU Delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam, has celebrated its 10th anniversary.
The event was held on 12 April at the Faculty Club in Leiden, where researchers, lecturers and administrative staff both young and old came together for a festive meeting.
The theme of the anniversary year is The next ten years; so not looking back, but looking ahead to what society will need during the next ten years.
The Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Universities strategic alliance is something we can really be proud of. We hope to make even more great things happen in the next ten years.” - Annetje Ottow
Annetje Ottow, chair of the Executive Board of Leiden University, opened the meeting with a discussion on the theme of the anniversary. She made a plea for multidisciplinarity as the road to more cooperation on societal issues between the research community and teaching staff.
Ottow gave as examples the joint LDE research centres, the LDE courses and, in particular, the three new minors that were launched this year: Space Missions, Living Education Lab and Port City Futures.
We can create added value by appointing professors to multiple professorships.” - Wim van den Doel
Prof. Wim van den Doel was next to take the stage. He looked back on the launch of the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus alliance ten years ago, with the signing of the ‘Added Value’ document.
This added value lies in the complementarity of the three universities and their ability to develop new knowledge by bringing their disciplines together.
Carola Hein first Leiden-Delft-Erasmus multiple professor
Van den Doel then introduced the new concept of ‘Leiden-Delft-Erasmus multiple professorships’, where professors are appointed to faculties of all three universities. The occasion was used to award the first multiple professorship to Professor Carola Hein.
Knowledge of the past is relevant for the future challenges of port cities.” - Carola Hein
In addition to her appointment at TU Delft’s Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Hein has also been appointed as Leiden-Delft-Erasmus professor at the Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences of Leiden University and at the Erasmus School for History, Culture and Communication.
She has been awarded this title for her work on the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Port City Futures programme and her UNESCO teaching and research remit for the Chair in Water, Ports and Historic Cities. Read more
Essay and art competition: ‘Sustainability The Next Ten Years’.
The anniversary meeting closed with the launch of an essay and art competition: ‘Sustainability The Next Ten Years’. This competition is for students of all three universities and is an initiative of the student board of the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centre for Sustainability. Students have until the end of May to submit an essay or a work of art, which will be judged by an expert jury. The winners will be announced on 7 July at an LDE meeting at The Hague Campus. Read more
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Photos: Barbra Verbij
